1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to motorized vehicles and more particularly to a vehicle adapted for servicing one or more railway locomotive engines within a connected series of locomotives and train cars.
2. Description of the Related Art
Diesel locomotives are generally serviced by uncoupling the locomotive or locomotives from the train and moving the locomotive to a separate service area in a train yard. Here the locomotive can be replenished with fuel, sand, water, and lubricating fluids, and the sanitary tanks emptied and crew quarters serviced as may be required. The locomotive is then returned to and connected to the train of railway cars for subsequent operations.
Alternatively, as the train enters the train yard, the train may be directed through a service area where the locomotives are serviced. This has the disadvantage of the service area being usurped by the entire train.
The locomotives may also be serviced by bringing a tank truck alongside for refueling, and then bringing a service truck alongside that carries a refillable sand hopper for filling the sand pots at the front and rear of each of the locomotives. The sand may be blown by compressed air from containers on the service truck to the sand pots on the locomotive. The service truck may also carry lubricating fluids and consumable supplies as well as waste oil drums to transfer used oil and supply new oil and other lubricating fluids and supplies as necessary. Such a Locomotive fuel service truck is marketed by Fleet Body Equipment of Fort Worth, Tx.
Each of the above mentioned methods of servicing the locomotives is very time intensive as well as inefficient. If the locomotives are disconnected from the train and relocated to a service area, the overall service time involved typically takes several hours. If the train remains intact, the fuel, lubricating fluids, sand, and other consumable materials must be separately trucked to and loaded onto the locomotive. This process may be even slower than the first process discussed above due to truck availability and the extra manpower required. Therefore there is a need for an improved vehicular arrangement for servicing locomotives that minimized the overall service time involved.